Alcohol-induced liver diseases are a common disorder in modern communities and societies. For example, in Europe there are more than 45 million individuals showing signs of alcohol-related damage such as liver disease and myopathies. Chronic alcohol consumption increases hepatic accumulation of triglycerides and leads to hepatic steatosis, which is the earliest and most common response to severe alcohol intoxication.
Thus, severe alcohol intoxication is a serious disease that should be treated with medication in order to reduce the damage to the human body of the alcohol intoxicated individual. For example, alcohol intoxication can be treated with metadoxine (pyridoxine L-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate). Metadoxine is a salt of the corresponding anion of L-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid (L-2-pyroglutamic acid) (1) and the protonated derivative of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) (2), having the following structures:

WO 2008/066353 discloses the use of Metadoxine in the treatment of alcohol intoxication either alone or in combination with other active agents. WO 2008/066353 mentions that metadoxine does not inhibit the expression and activation of an alcohol-induced cytochrome P450 2E1, which is the key enzyme involved in alcohol-induced toxicity. Thus, the use of metadoxine may be limited.
Several studies have shown that in order to effectively treat alcohol intoxication, there is a need for a relatively high daily dose (ca. 900 mg) administered intravenously (see, e.g., Lu et al. Chin. Med. J. 2007, 120 (2), 155-168 and Shpilenya et al, Alcohol Clin. Exp. Res. 2002, 26 (3), 340-346). These studies disclose side effects associated with the use of metadoxine, including nausea and vomiting.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for effective and safe drugs for treating alcohol intoxication and other associated diseases.